Read Philippians 4:11–13

How do you develop a grateful heart? I can tell you, it certainly does not come from within ourselves. Gratitude is rooted in the grace of God, who welcomes His people into His kingdom and into a renewed relationship with Him. In the same way, gratitude is a heartfelt response to what God has done for us. And in gratitude we affirm God’s grace and recognize just how blessed we are in all He has given to us.

In a word, gratitude flows from contentment. Feeling comfortable and secure with where you are and who you are. Here’s how Paul described contentment in his letter to the Philippians:

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11–13)

Did you catch that? You can’t muster gratitude or contentment. You learn it. Could what you may be experiencing today be part of God’s instruction for you to learn contentment? A good measure of learning contentment is seeing life through the lens of truth. Try expressing gratitude for what you’ve been given. Suddenly, you’ll notice how content you have become in Christ.

Talk to the Lord today about whatever or whoever is the source of your lack of gratitude. What is it about your situation that makes you less than grateful? Ask Him to show you what He desires you to learn from your current situation. Ask Him to open your eyes to the things you can be grateful for.

Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.

The full devotional can be purchased at https://www.tyndale.com/p/good-morning-lord-can-we-talk/9781414380681.